Wollongong
Nearly 78% of Wollongong homes are apartments, making the suburb far more vertical than its regional-city image suggests. The 20,446 residents live at 3,546.9 people per sq km, with renters at 56.6% and vacancy at 12.2%, so choice and turnover are both high. Compared with nearby North Wollongong and Gwynneville, the CBD core is more apartment-led and institution-driven. A median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure, while 48.0% university attainment sits 17.9 points above national.
Population
20,446
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,549/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
172
Median House
$780K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers are mainly choosing convenience and compact living rather than land. Apartments make up 77.6% of dwellings compared with 13.9% separate houses, and 52.7% of homes have 2 bedrooms, so downsizers, singles and couples dominate the practical buyer pool. The median house price is $780,000, while the latest price series reached $795,000 after 5.3% growth from 2024 to 2025. Mortgage costs are 29.1% of income, just below common stress thresholds, but household income sits at the 49.2 percentile.
For Buyers
Buyers are mainly choosing convenience and compact living rather than land. Apartments make up 77.6% of dwellings compared with 13.9% separate houses, and 52.7% of homes have 2 bedrooms, so downsizers, singles and couples dominate the practical buyer pool. The median house price is $780,000, while the latest price series reached $795,000 after 5.3% growth from 2024 to 2025. Mortgage costs are 29.1% of income, just below common stress thresholds, but household income sits at the 49.2 percentile.
For Investors
Wollongong has a deep tenant base because 56.6% of households rent, higher than the 43.4% combined owned and mortgaged share. Median rent is $410 per week and rent-to-income is 26.5%, below a typical stress line, which supports affordability for tenants. The caution is vacancy: 12.2% is high, so weaker stock can sit empty. Development is active, with 154 applications in 12 months, meaning investors need to compare building quality, strata costs and proximity to employment nodes carefully.
Development Activity
Total DAs
886
Last 12 Months
172
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wollongong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Smiths Hill High School
7-12 · 736 students
St Mary Star of the Sea College
7-12 · 1128 students
Wollongong Public School
K-6 · 579 students
Mount St Thomas Public School
K-6 · 354 students
Lindsay Park Public School
K-6 · 334 students
Demographics
Wollongong is younger and more educated than the national profile. The median age is 35, which is 5 years below national, while 48.0% of residents hold a university qualification, 17.9 points above national. Overseas-born residents are 33.7%, 12.1 points above national, with Mandarin 355, Arabic 244 and Macedonian 241 among key non-English languages. Average household size is 2.0, 0.5 below national, because apartment living and smaller households are common.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
13.9%
Houses
7.4%
Townhouse
77.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market is defined by density and renting. The price series rose from $755,000 in 2024 to $795,000 in 2025, a 5.3% gain, with the latest price matching the peak and sitting 0.0% below it. Separate houses are only 13.9% of stock compared with 77.6% apartments, so scarcity supports detached-home pricing. Ownership is thinner than average: 25.0% own outright, 18.4% have a mortgage and 56.6% rent. The latest price is about 9.9 times annual household income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$410
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$836
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.2%
Unoccupied
1,326
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.5%
Couples, no children
12,022
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors the local labour market at 22.7% of jobs, followed by education at 13.7%, professional and tech at 10.6%, hospitality at 7.2% and public admin at 7.2%. Professionals are the largest occupation group with 3,349 workers, above community and personal service at 1,391. Employment signals are mixed: unemployment is 6.3%, participation is 52.9% and full-time work is 63.0%. SEIFA shows the split, with education and occupation in decile 8 compared with economic resources in decile 2.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
11,127
Unemployed
700
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
30.7%
Participation
52.9%
Employed
9,243
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.0%
Postgraduate
15.4%
Born Overseas
33.7%
Dwellings
9,493
Transport to Work
Wollongong works best for residents who value walkable access to jobs, services and schools. Walking and cycling account for 16.8% of commuting, higher than public transport at 5.5%, although car driving still dominates at 72.7%. Six local schools span ICSEA 991 to 1186, led by Smiths Hill High School at 1186 with 736 enrolments, St Mary Star of the Sea College at 1104 with 1,128 enrolments and Wollongong Public School at 1084 with 579 enrolments. IRSAD decile 6 is above the middle nationally.
Drive
72.7%
Public Transport
5.5%
Walk / Cycle
16.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.99%/yr
(+364 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The trend forecast adds 1.99% a year, or about 364 people annually, with the medium path rising from 18,324 in 2026 to 20,142 in 2031. Migration is the main engine: overseas migration averages 436 people a year, much higher than net internal migration at 104. The suburb is in an Active gentrification stage with a score of 50, while the shift profile is Aging, including a 3.9 point lift in senior share and 41.4% rent growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+436
Net Internal / yr
+104
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +37% since 2011, Net internal migration +104/yr, Strong overseas inflow +436/yr, Accelerating: 9% → 25%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wollongong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wollongong a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers and renters who want a coastal CBD lifestyle with schools, jobs and apartments close together. It has 20,446 residents, 77.6% apartments and a 16.8% walk or cycle commute share, higher than many car-dependent suburbs.
What is the median house price in Wollongong?
The median house price is $780,000, while the price series shows a latest 2025 figure of $795,000. Prices rose 5.3% from $755,000 in 2024 to $795,000 in 2025, with the latest result equal to the recorded peak.
What schools are in Wollongong?
Wollongong has 6 local schools with ICSEA scores from 991 to 1186. Leading examples include Smiths Hill High School at 1186, St Mary Star of the Sea College at 1104 and Wollongong Public School at 1084.
Is Wollongong safe?
Wollongong is a busy CBD suburb of 20,446 residents, so safety can vary by street, building and time of day. Inspect around stations, nightlife areas and apartment entries after 8 pm, as building security matters more here than in lower-density suburbs.
Is Wollongong good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking tenant depth, because 56.6% of households rent and median rent is $410 per week. The key risk is vacancy at 12.2%, so stock selection, strata quality and proximity to jobs should be compared carefully.
How is Wollongong's population changing?
Population growth is forecast at 1.99% a year, or about 364 people annually. The medium forecast rises from 18,324 in 2026 to 20,142 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration at 436 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Wollongong?
English is dominant, but 33.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 12.1 points above the national figure. Key non-English languages include Mandarin with 355 speakers, Arabic with 244 and Macedonian with 241.
How much development is happening in Wollongong?
Development activity is high, with 154 applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include shop-top housing, demolition and building alterations, so buyers should compare future supply and construction impacts by street.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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